(SportsNetwork.com) - The Atlanta Hawks are back to struggling, losing three
in a row, but they'll try to get on track Wednesday night with a visit to the
Target Center to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After a five-game winning streak, Atlanta has suffered three consecutive
setbacks, including two at home. The Hawks are two games behind the Charlotte
Bobcats for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and three in front of
the New York Knicks for eighth.

"It's a tough loss. It's been a tough three or four days," said Hawks coach
Mike Budenholzer. "I think it's an opportunity for a group to continue to
improve, continue to work."

The Hawks led by three at the half, but the Suns trounced them, 35-23, in the
third quarter. Atlanta won the fourth by two, but it was too late.

The Timberwolves are all but out of playoff consideration in the Western
Conference. They sit 9 1/2 games behind the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis
Grizzlies for the final postseason berth.

The Wolves have dropped three straight with only one of those setbacks coming
at home.

On Monday, Minnesota fell in Memphis to the Grizzlies, 109-92.

Kevin Love shot 6-for-18, including 2-for-8 from distance, to lead the
Timberwolves with 16 points. Corey Brewer tallied 15 points and Gorgui Dieng
deposited 11 points with 17 rebounds in the loss.

The Grizzlies outscored Minnesota, 66-42, in the paint and outrebounded their
counterpart 54-42.

The T'Wolves didn't convert a basket in the fourth until Dieng made a hook
shot with just over seven minutes left. By that time, Memphis built a game-
high 25-point spread and the Grizzlies coasted the rest of the way.

"We just didn't compete," said Minnesota coach Rick Adelman. "We got to
compete. This team (Memphis) is very physical. We talked about it before the
game. They are going to hit you in the mouth, they're going to come at you,
they are going to jam it inside. You have to compete against a team like
that."

The Hawks beat the Wolves in Atlanta on Feb. 1 and are 5-1 in their last six
in Minnesota.